They signed James and Chris Bosh, kept Dwyane Wade, added pieces around them and — albeit a year later than they planned — became NBA champions. When that moment came, when James knew his wait to become a champion was at last about to end, the first thing he did was bury his head in Bosh's chest, trying not to cry.

James often says he is "humbled" by awards or praise. Never did he feel more humble in 2012.

His first act of the year — moments after midnight on Jan. 1 — was proposing to girlfriend Savannah Brinson. The way James sees it, that move on bended knee set the tone for everything else to fall into place.

"Can you propose twice?" James asked. "Can I do that again to get another year like this?"

He can't. But he would.